Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN) hosted another scientific event as part of the “Science Café” meetings. The event, organized by the BEUN Science Communication Office within the framework of Antibiotic Awareness Day, brought various disciplines such as archaeology, medicine, biology, and pharmacy together and showed a strong example of scientific collaboration to the students and public.
BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer; BEUN Secretary General and the Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy, Prof. Dr. Zehra Safi Öz; the Dean of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Hande Aydemir; the Dean of Faculty of Science, Prof. Dr. Kadir Demir; Zonguldak Chamber of Pharmacists, Esra Geyikli, academic and administrative staff, students, and residents of the city attended the event held at Doç. Dr. Ali Arslan Conference Hall, on the Farabi campus. Faculty member at the Faculty of Agriculture of Ankara University, Prof. Dr. Emre Keskin, faculty member of the BEUN Faculty of Pharmacy, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şükran Öztürk, faculty member of BEUN Teoman Duralı Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamza Ekmen and Assoc. Prof. Dr. F. Gülden Ekmen participated in the event organized by the BEUN Science Communication Office, BEUN Faculty of Pharmacy, and Pharmed Student Club.
From Archaeology to Microbiology: 5-thousand-year-old secrets of İnönü Cave
In her opening speech, Prof. Dr. Zehra Safi Öz highlighted the significance of the program and expressed her pleasure in the presentation of a multidisciplinary study. She stated that the evaluation of the findings of the İnönü Cave excavations- carried out under the scientific advisory of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamza Ekmen, together with disciplines such as archaeology, microbiology, and pharmacy, has yielded valuable results that open new horizons for the science community. In his presentation following Prof. Dr. Safi Öz’s speech, Prof. Dr. Emre Keskin said they analyzed antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial community, found in the soil samples taken from İnönü Cave and stated, “this study gives us the opportunity to understand the relationship of ancient communities with the environment through microorganisms.” He also noted that the study demonstrated that antibiotic resistance is not a result of only modern medicine, but natural ecosystems and historical human activities shaped this process as well.
In his presentation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hamza Ekmen stated that the findings show that the communities living in the cave were involved in activities such as animal breeding, agriculture, hunting, gathering, and weaving. He noted that the volcanic structure, water resources, and natural minerals of the cave contribute to the formation of the bacterial communities.
Highlighting the treatment methods used in the historic ages, Assoc. Prof. Dr. F. Gülden Ekmen shared the richness of the historical medicine with examples from ancient Egypt to the Chalcolithic period. Stating that the cavities resulting from hard bread were treated with cumin and locust, Ekmen provided significant information on the early concept of disease.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Şükran Öztürk evaluated the microbiological findings and pointed out that gastrointestinal diseases might be common in ancient communities. Emphasizing that antibiotic resistance genes such as tetA, intl1, and OXA58 were present before the discovery of modern antibiotics, she said, “These findings show that human activities and environmental conditions have shaped the microbial ecosystems for thousands of years.”
Rector Özölçer: “We bring together the wisdom of the past and science of the future.”
Evaluating the program, the Rector of BEUN, Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer, stated that the university continues its mission to bring scientific production together with society and added:
“The study we listened to here today is not just academic research, but an exemplary multidisciplinary vision that brings together the wisdom of the past with the science of the future. This collective wisdom, which extends from archaeology and medicine to pharmacy and biology, both contributes to scientific production and increases the awareness of public health. Approaching the roots of antibiotic resistance from a perspective that goes back thousands of years is a clear sign of how far science can go. I congratulate all academic members who contributed to this study, the Science Communication Office, and those who took part in this organization, and wish them success in their endeavors. Our university will continue to produce scientific projects that feed on scientific curiosity, prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration, and reach society.”
At the end of the program, Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer presented the speakers with a certificate of appreciation. The program concluded with a visit to the photography exhibition of the İnönü Cave excavations and the student club’s stand.
